Instagram is adding new options for users to verify their age on the platform.
Instagram originally added an age verification feature in 2019, however the system was ineffective because users were just required to enter their date of birth to complete the procedure.
Later, it was announced that age verification will require uploading an official ID, such as a driver's license.
New users, or users who try to edit their age from under 18 to over 18 will now be expected to either upload a video selfie, or ask their friends to validate their age, or upload an ID. Therefore, users now have three ways to verify their age and can choose whatever suits them the best.
If you upload a video selfie, Instagram will send it to Yoti, whose facial recognition system will estimate your age based on your facial traits. The company claims that your information is erased within 30 days.
If you opt for your friends to verify your age, then, the person vouching must be at least 18 years old, must not be vouching for anyone else at that time and will need to meet certain company policies.
Thorn, a non-profit organisation dedicated to child protection, found in a 2021 survey that more than 40 percent of children under the age of 13 use Instagram and other social media networks that promise to exclude them.